Meeting of top-ranked U.S. wrestlers could happen Saturday in St. Paris

You remember those movies growing up as a kid that pitted Godzilla
against King Kong? A meeting like that might actually take place
Saturday in St. Paris. Two of the country’s top wrestlers could square
off. According to the Graham wrestling website senior David Taylor will
bump up a weight class to tackle Lakewood St. Edward senior Collin
Palmer (Palmer is projected at 140 for St. Ed). We can only hope.

You remember those movies growing up as a kid that pitted Godzilla against King Kong? A meeting like that might actually take place Saturday in St. Paris. Two of the country’s top wrestlers could square off. According to the Graham wrestling website senior David Taylor will bump up a weight class to tackle Lakewood St. Edward senior Collin Palmer (Palmer is projected at 140 for St. Ed). We can only hope.

In bright green letters on the Graham website it says “YES – THERE MAY BE A MATCH BETWEEN DAVID TAYLOR AND COLLIN PALMER. Taylor will be wrestling 140.”

Taylor has a career record of 125-2 and is ranked No. 1 in the country at 135 pounds by Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA Magazine. He hasn’t lost since falling to St. Ed’s Jamie Clark as a sophomore. A three-time state champion and Iowa State recruit, Taylor is the only wrestler EVER to win four individual titles at the prestigious Walsh Ironman Invitational.

Palmer, also a three-time state champion, is ranked No. 1 in the country at 140 by Wrestling USA and No. 2 by AWN. He has never lost to an Ohio opponent. He’s headed to Ohio State.

Taylor and Palmer have never met before.

The tri-meet, which also includes Troy Christian, features all three defending state champions. St. Ed has won 12 straight D-I state titles, while Graham has won eight straight D-II titles. Troy Christian has won two straight D-III championships.